Flexible smooth surface covering



Dec. 10, 1940. A F M, ALLEN 2,224,209

FLEXIBLE SMOOTH SURFACE COVERNG Filed May 11. 19259 INVENTOR FRANK M. ALLEN ATTORNEY reame Desio, 1940A l c l l I 2,224,209

l UNITED STATES PATE-Nr orrlcr:

. FLEXIBLE SMOOTH SURFACE COVERJN I Frank M. Allen.. Summit, N. J.. assigner to Congoleum-Nairn lne., a corporation of New York Application my 11, 193s, serial No. 212,955

1 claims. (o1. 154-49) This invention relates to iiexible smooth surthis invention will be apparent in connection face rugs. This invention relates particularly to with the following description of certain illusflexible smooth surface rugs having a base sheet trative embodiments thereof shown in the acl comprising a fibrous materialimpregnated with companying drawing wherein i water proofing material and suitable for covering Figure 1 is a plan view of a flexible' smooth o floors and the like. surface rug embodying this invention; It is the purpose of this invention to afford a Figure 2 is a plan view, enlarged, of a marginal smooth surface rug of the character referred to portion of the rug shown in Figure 1; hav-ing4 improved reinforcingmeans along the Figure 3 is a side sectional view of the marmargin thereof adapted to increase the resistancev ginal portion of a flexible smooth surface rug l of the rug to tearing strains applied at or adembodying this invention: ,a jacent the margin of the rug and adapted for g Figure 4 is a side section of a portion of a rug use without injury to the rug upon expansion and embodying this invention showing facing and contraction of the rug under conditions of varybacking layers for the rug;

ing humidity and temperature. Figure 5 is a plan view of one form of reinforcw From one aspect this invention constitutes an ing element appropriate for use according to this improvement on the rug structure shown in my invention, the reinforcing element being sepapending application Serial No. 99,169, filed Seprated from the body of the rug'; and y tember 2, 1936. for Flexible smooth surface rugs Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are-side sectional views and method of making same, and in my subsesimilar to Figure 3 but of different modifications quent application Serial No. 276,626 'filed May 31, of this invention. l 1939, now Patent No. 2,184,970 issued December While this invention is applicable in connection 26, 1939. In the application referred to a flexible with severalV different types of flexible smooth smooth surface rug is shown having an elongated surface rugs, it will be described with respect to reinforcing element completely embedded -in a reone type of rug in connection with which this in- W cess extending into the fibrous base of the rug venticn is preferably practiced. A rug of the from adjacent an edge of the rug. According to type referred to includes a base sheet consisting the present invention, instead of using an elonof water-laid felt of some suitable fiber such as `gated reinforcing element in the form of a rag fiber or the like impregnated with a suitable 'straight wire or tape, as described in my said material which is adapted to increase the water prior application, a reinforcing element is used resistance and strain resistance of the felt, such which is'characterized by being in the form of as a bituminous saturant having a melting point Ia series of bends so that .the axial length of the of about 160 F. To one surface of the waterreinforcing element along the margin of the rug proofed felt base sheet there is applied a sealing is substantially greater than the longitudinal coat which is'adapted to resist bleeding of the w dispositionof the element along the margin of saturant in thel base sheet therethrough and the rug. While this invention is applicable in which may, for example, comprise a suitable veconnection with a rug structure of the character hicle such as a drying oil or resin, or both, toshown in my applications Serial Nos. 99,168 and gether with a filler.' Over the sealing coat a 4u 276,626 above referred to (now Patent No. surface coating or layer of wear-resistant and 4m 2,184,970), it may also be employed in connection decorative material is applied. This coating or with other rug structures as will be described layer may comprise a suitable binder material more in detail hereinbelow. such as a drying oil, or a soluble cellulose deriva- When a reinforcing element is employed which tive, or a resinous material, together with solid is in the form of a series of bends, I have found material in the nature of nely-divided pigment 4B that there is a very pronounced increase in the or inert filler, or both. This surface layer is resistance of the rug in which the reinforcing usually applied in the form of paints of different element is incorporated, to tearing. It is a furcolor by means of a printing operation adapted ther advantage of this invention that the use of a. to produce Athe desired surface design. While reinforcing element in the form of a series of the surface of such a rug is referred to as I6 bends eliminates distortion of the rug due to exsmooth, the `term #smooth surface is used to l' pansion and contraction thereof under varying distinguish from rugs. comprising heavy pile faband excessive or abnormal conditions of moisture, rics, for example, and may include rugs having a temperature and the like. A surface layer or coating of molded composition Further purposes, features and advantages of which contains irregularities in the surface.

Suitable decorative and wear-resistant coatings may, for examplel comprise drying oil paint or enamel, cellulose ester lacquer, synthetic resin lacquer, or molded composition such as linoleum composition, or the like. Both the sealing coat and the surface coating or layer canbe applied in one or more applications. 'Ihe back of the rug is usually treated with some suitable protective composition such as the Acomposition used for the sealing coat in order to render the back of the rug non-sticky and more attractive in appearance. Alternatively, the fibrous base of the rug 'may be impregnated with materials which render the surface decorative and wear resisting. In either case the rug may be regarded as comprising a unitary sheet of brous material (e. g., felt) and presenting a decorative and wearresisting surface.

In referring to the drawing, it is to be understood that the rugs shown are not drawn to scale 4and that the different portions of the rug have been illustrated primarily from the point of view of clarity in indicating the different structural features of the rug without attempting to accuratelyA show the dimensions, size or relative proportions of the elements of the rug.

'Ihe rug shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3 may for. the purpose of affording a preferred illustration of the practice of this invention be of the type described generally hereinabove. The rug is indicated generally by the reference character I and consists of a. base sheet II of felt impregnated with a waterproofing material. By waterproofing material any material which is adapted to impart increased resistance to water of the fiber in the base sheet is referred to. A bituminous material of an asphaltic. character is usually desirable, al-

though other waterproofing materials such asv bodied drying oils, soluble cellulose compositions, solutions of synthetic resins or the like may be used.

Integral with the upper side of the felt base sheet is a wear-resistant and decorative layer I5.

In this embodiment of my invention the' surface l layer such as layer I5 may, as shown in Figure 4, consist of a'sealing coat I3 and 'a decorative and wear-resistant coating or layer I4. Moreover, a suitable backing coat I6 may be employedas is also shown in Figure 4. Hereinabove mention has 0 been made of suitable materials which may be used for the wear-resistant and decorative surface layer, the sealing layer, and the backing coat. In the drawings other than Figure 4, e. g.. in Figure 3, the decorative and wear-resistant surface layer is shown as a single layer I5 but it is to' be understood that this is done for convenience in the 'description and clarity in the drawing and that the decorative and wear-resistant layer in the drawing, such as the layer one or more coatings as may be desired and may include coatings of different material. Likewise it is to be understood that the modifications of this invention other than the embodiment shown in Figure 4, may include a backing coat applied in one or more layers of the same or different materials, although for convenience in the description and clarity in the drawing this backing layer is vto harden quickly upon I5, may comprise According to this invention, the reinforcing ele-- ment is not straight but is in the form of a series of bends and may, for example, be of the general form shown in Figures 2 and 5. The reinforcing element is preferably undulatory, that is, in the the opposed faces of the recess I8 are maintained in juxtaposition by a water-resistant adhesive 20, Preferably such adhesive is of the thermoplastic type, fluid at elevated temperatures but adapted cooling to a tough flexible nlm that will not become embrittled. Furthermore, it should possess such viscosity when heated or such immiscibility with the waterproofing material in the felt that it will not be absorbed excessively-into such felt. Selected bituminous and pitch compounds, synthetic resins as, for example, the alkyd resins, paracoumarone resin, plasticized chlorinated rubber, natural resins as, for example, ester gum, or various mixtures thereof, with or without solvents, have been found satisfactory as adhesives. An example of a preferred adhesive is as follows:

Parts Phenol modified alkyd resin (plastic solid at 75 F.-uid at 100 F.) 50 Chlorinated rubber (130 C. P.) 7 Paracournarone resin (M. P. 80 F.) 43 v the reinforcing element permanently Within the body of the rug. A more complete description of apreferred method and apparatus for inserting a reinforcing element in the margin ofa flexible smooth surface rug is found in my application Serial No. 99,168 referred to hereinabove.

In the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 3 the reinforcing element not only is in the form of a series of bends, but also is flat, namely, has substantially greater cross-sectional Width in one direction than in the direction at approximately a right angle 'to the width and may comprise a fiat narrow band of rust-resistant metal having high tensile strength. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the undulations in the reinforcing element consist of a series of reverse bends. Preferably as shown, all of the bends are in approximately the same plane and this plane is preferably approximately the same as the plane of greater cross-sectional width when the reinforcing element is flattened. The reinforcing element is preferably placed in the rug so that the plane of the reverse bends or undulations and the plane of greatest cross-sectional Width of the reatrasos:

rug, namely, at the plane of the'rug which is intermediate the thickness thereof and at which the material of the rug is neither stretched nor compressed substantially upon flexing A specific illustration of a typical' reinforcingV element according to this invention may be referred to for the purpose of exempliflcation. The

reinforcing element is made of stainless steel comprising vabout-18% chromium and about 8% ofnlckei. the alloy having 'a tensile strength perf square -inch of about 200,000 pounds. 4Buch a metal is strong andv tough and is corrosion-re- 'sistant. The metal is first preparedin the form of an .018 inchdlameter round wire which is subjected'to a bending or crimping operation which ,results in undulatory wavy wire that has about 5 to 7 pitches or waves per inch and that has an' perpendicular toV this plane is reduced to about .010 inch.

When a reinforcing element of the character described is embedded in the margin of a smooth surface rug of the character above-mentioned as described hereinabove, I have found that the resistance of the marginv of the rug to tearing is greatly increased as compared with a similar rug which contains a reinforcing element which is identical with the reinforcing element de scribed, except for the fact that it is straight and is not of undulatory form. I have found that when the solid metal wire or tape is in waved or crimped form an increased resistance to tearing of about, 50% to 100% is afforded as compared with a reinforcing elementof the same cross-sectional area and shape which is straight. Notwithstanding that the reinforcing element is in the form of a lrelatively thin wire, the reinforcing elemnt, when made in a series of bends or in an undulatory form as referred to hereinabove, strengthens the margin of the rug in which it is embedded so that the rug is made resistant to anytearing strains towhich it would be likely to be subjected. Y Even an abnormally strong man intentionally trying` to tear -the rug with his hands would encounter very great dimculty in tearing the rug.

The importance of increasing the `strength of aexible smooth surface rug so that it may be highly resistant "lto tearing is apparent. One

" `,of the most serious difficulties incident to flexible smooth surface rugs is that of insuillcient resistl ance to tearing from' the margin or edge portion of the rug. According to the present invention, the resistance of the margin of the rug to tearing can. be increased so as to meet even. the most severe service conditions.

Using a straight reinforcing element. e. g., a straightwire or tape, it is impossible as a practialv matter .toincrease the strength of the margin oi a flexible smooth surface rug to the extent that is possible using an undulatory reinforcing element. In order to achieve the strength that is possible using an undulatory reinforcing element,

according to this invention, it would be necessary,

ifa straight reinforcing element were used, to increase the thickness of a straight reinforcing 1531" While applicant does not wish to be bound by element to such an extent that it would constitute an objectionable ridge in the face ofthe rug.

any theories as to why an undulatoryreinforcing A element achieves the markedly'increased resistanceto tearing referred to above as compared with the employment of 'a straight reinforcing element, it -is believed that v the undulatory or waved type of reinforcing element permits the reinforcing element to be locally straightened out whenevery a shearing or twisting force is applied to the margin of the rug so as to afford an excess of the reinforcing element at the point or sone where the force is applied with the result that the load placed on the reinforcing element is predominantly one of tension. When, on the other hand, a straight reinforcing element is used, the shearing'or twisting force applied to the edge of the rug is concentrated at the point or zone of application and imposes a strain or load which is predominantly one of shear. The resistance of metallic bodies such as wires, tapes or the like to tensile strains is normally greater than the resistance to shear. Further along the same line, the fact that the undulatory reinforcing element -tends to lstraighten out when a sudden shearing or twisting force is applied to the margin of the rug affords afinite interval of time during which the wire straightens out, thereby cushioning the shock.` 'I'he force or strain can be simply computed by the formula by the reinforcing element halves the strain thereon required for checking the movement of the object.

The use of a reinforcing element which is in the form of a series of bends or crimps such as the series of reverse bends or waves shown in the drawing is of value not only because of the increased resistance to tearing which is afforded v thereby, but also because the rug is rendered less subject to injury due to varying and excessive or abnormal conditions of temperature and dampness. 4Under' conditions of extreme dampness such as may occur, for example, when a rus is placed on concrete which is in direct contact with the ground, the felt base of the rug expands a substantial amount, sometimes as much as la inch for each l2 feet. A. reinforcing element in t the form of a straight wire, for example, tends to resist any such expansion of a rug and sometimes imparts a so-calied "tight edge" to the margin of the rug with resultant ripple eiect in the body portion of the rug adjacent the margin containing the reinforcing element. When the reinforcing element is of an undulatory or waved type. as has been describedhereinabove, the reinforcing element can be stretched or contracted with accordion-like action and affords comparasoV tively little resistance to such changes in overall longitudinal extent along thev margin of the rug.

According to preferred practice, the reinforcing element is crimped or bent to such anextent that it can be distended or lengthened by about 10% or more of its overall length. It is apparent.

therefore, that when an undulatory or waved reinforcing element is used, no tight edge" effect occurs upon expansion and contraction of the rug under varying conditions of temperature and dampness.

While this invention has been described inA connection with a specific type of waved rein-` forcing elernent, it is apparent that the reinforcing element may take many diilerent forms. In

I tages of this invention can be gained by using a reinforcing element made of some other material than metal, such, for example, asa cord or tape of brous material having a high tensile strength, the reinforcing element being disposed in an undulatory or wavy form rather than being disposed so as to lie straight along the margin of the rug. Particularly when a metallic reinforcing element is used, it is preferable to employ a reinforcing element which is produced in a series of bends which has an overall width .that is about 2 to 4 times the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of tlie element. Preferably for ordinary flexible smooth surface rugs there are 'about 3 to 10 pitches per inch. In connection with metallic reinforcing elements the use of elements within the following range affords a very satisfactory result: l l

Width e -inch-- .005 to .04 Thickness ..do .005 to .015 Pitches per inch i 31 to 10- Overall width of element -inch -.02 to .10

While the employment of a flat reinforcing element is preferable' according to this invention, the reinforcing element may be round, as shown in Figure 6, wherein a round reinforcing element 2| is embedded in recess I8 in the body portion l-l of the rug having the surface layer I5.. Reinforcing elements of other forms may also be used. For example, the cross section of the reinforcing element may be in the form of an ellipse with the 'maximum cross sectional dimension preferably in the plane of the body portion of the rug. Moreover, when a' round wire is flattened as above-described, the reinforcing element may have at upper and lower surfaces and be somewhat rounded or bulging along the sides.

In Figure '7 a smooth surface rug is shown cornprising a body portion 22 and a surface layer 23.

- Adjacent the margin of the rugis a reinforcing the layer 22. The layer 25 may be in the form of element 24 which is embedded inthe bottom of the rug, the lower surface of the element being flush with the bottom of the rug. 'I'he rug shown in Figure 8 is identical with that shown in Figure 7, except that there is an additional backing layer 25 at the bottom of the rug, the reinforcing element being sandwiched between the layer 25 and heavy paper, an additional sheet of felt impregnated with waterproofing material, or a backing fabric of desired weight and strength, as may be desired. The sheet 25 may cover the entire bottom of theA body portion of the rug, or alternatively, may be disposed along the marginal portion only of the rug. The sheet 25` can be bonded to the body portion 252 in any suitable way, as for example, by an adhesive.

In Figure l9 a smooth surface rug is shown which is similar to that shown in Figure 3, except that the rug has a tapered portion 26 at the margin thereof. The tapered portion may be of the character referred to more in detail in my abovementioned applications Serial Nos. 99,168 and 276,626 (now Patent No. 2,184,970). It may be of increased densityv as it decreases in thickness progressing toward the edge of the rug. or the tapered portion may decrease in thickness and weight progressing toward the edge of the rug as .by cutting away a portion of the felt and bending surface rug is shown which is similar to that shown in Figure 3, except that the surface layer, instead of being relatively thin, may be a layer of substantial thickness such as a layer of linoleum composition. In this figure the rug is shown as comprising a base sheet 21 having integral'with the upper surface thereof awear-resistant and decorative surface layer 28 which is relatively heavy and which may be composed of a linoleum composition, for example.

While this invention has been described in connection with exible smooth surface rugs of the type having a decorative and Wear-resistant surface layer in addition to a base sheet, many features of this invention are applicable when the wear-resistant and decorative layer is omitted, or when the base sheet itself constitutes a wearresistant and decorative surface. Thus many of 'the features of this invention may be availed of rug body are applicable to any such coverings.

While this invention has been described in connection with certain illustrative embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this has been done merely for exemplification and that the scope of this invention is to be limited only by the language of the followingclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A flexible smooth surface rug which comprises a sheet of felt impregnated with a waterproong material and reinforced along a margin thereof Without substantially increasing the thickness of said rug adjacent the-reto, with an elongated tear-resistant element, said tear-resistant element being embedded in said rug and being in the form of a fiat metallic tape having approximately 3 to 10 reverse bends to the inch substantially inthe plane of maximum crosssectional dimension, the maximum overall width of said tape in said plane being approximately 2 to 4* times the cross-sectional dimension of said tape in said piane.

2. A flexible smooth surface rug which comprises a sheet of felt impregnated with a watersectlon of said element being between about .005 to about .040 inch inv width and. about .005 to about`.015 inch in thickness and said tear-resistant element having an overall width in said plane of about .02 to about .10 inch.

3. A flexible smooth surface rug which comprises a sheet of felt impregnated with a waterproofing material, which presents a `decorative and Wear-resisting upper surface, and in which is embedded `along and adjacent a margin thereof without substantially increasing the thickness of said rug adjacent thereto an elongated metallic tear-resistant element, said element having a maximum cross-sectional dimension ofapproximately .005 to .04 inch and being disposed in the form of a seriesof reverse bends with approximately Sto 10v vpitches to the inch so that the sponding to the plane of saidl sheet, the crossmaximum overall Width of the element is approximately .02 to 0.1 inch and so that the bends are disposed in a plane at least approximately paralleling that of the body portion of the rug. 4. A flexible smooth surface rug according to claim 3 wherein the tear-resistant element is completely embedded in a recess extending laterally into said felt sheet and wherein a layer of decorative and wear-resisting material is integral with a surface of said sheet.

. 5. A flexible smooth surface rug comprising a, fibrous sheet impregnated with a waterproofing material and reinforced along a margin thereof by a tear-resistant element embedded therein along and adjacent an edge thereof without substantially increasing the thickness of said rug adjacent said element, said element being in the form of a series of reverse bends disposed so as to have about 3 to l'pitches to the inch, having a maximum cross-sectional dimension of approximately .04 inch and having a maximum overall width of approximately 4 times said maximum* cross-sectional dimension.

6. A exible smooth surface rug according to claim 'wherein the tear-resistant element is a attened wire disposed approximately at the neutral axis of the rug.

'7.A flexible smooth surface rug which comprises a fibrous sheet impregnated with a waterproofing material and an elongated undulatory tear-resistant element embedded therein along and adjacent an edge of said rug without substantially increasing the thickness of said rug adjacent said element, said tear-resistant element being approximately coextensive lineal dimension of said edge and said tear-resistant element being disposed in undulations so that said tear-resistant element as a whole is at substantially uniform proximity to said edge continuously along said lineal dimension thereby affording tear resistance at substantially similar proximity to said edge at all points along said lineal dimension and the undulations of said tear-resistant element being sufficient so that the overall length of said tear-resistant element can be distended by at least about 10%.

FRANK M. ALLEN.

with the 

